Howdy Forum .. Matt made an interesting statement in his BLOG this week that got my ever dissecting and analyzing mind thinking on this nugget of wisdom and thought I’d share some of my thoughts with you guys on the subject. The statement that caught my attention is:

“there’s two types of people in this world, there’s people that think they can and they’re people that think they can’t.. they’re both right.”

As soon as I read this a scripture I knew when I was in the ministry over ten years ago popped into my head. I’ve found that when that usually happens God normally has something for me or someone else, or both. Especially nowadays when my daily devotions, regular church attendance and over all spiritual acumen is dulled from my lack of practicing the faith. My job now is feast or famine, I’m either working from sun up to sun down … or just waiting. This current lull I have has given me a chance to burrow down on these thoughts and since I have access to the internet today I feel compelled to write about them.

The passage I thought of comes from Proverbs, specifically 23:7: (NAS)
6(F)Do not eat the bread of a (G)selfish man,
Or desire his delicacies;
7For as he thinks within himself, so he is.
He says to you, "Eat and drink!"
But (H)his heart is not with you.
8You will (I)vomit up the morsel you have eaten,
And waste your compliments.

Proverbs and Ecclesiastes are two of my most favorite books in the Bible. God said that never will a man as wise as Solomon walk the earth, so to read the God inspired writings from him still fascinates me. Ecclesiastes is probably my favorite book but very easy to take out of context . . . King Solomon is writing it in his twilight years and is reflecting on him turning away from God and in his old age sees that all his success and wealth is totally meaningless without God. Mac and I have been PMing some on a topic like this recently. Hehe … anyway small rabbit trail. Back on topic.

Proverbs 23:6-8 is a Biblical insight into relationships, specifically with selfish people .. but it also gives us a glimmer at a fundamental truth in the make-up and design of man.

“For as he thinks within himself, so he is.”
For the NKJ lovers it says “7For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he”

In the case of selfish people, their actions in giving you something would not be sincere, so the Bible tells us to avoid it. The persons heart would not be in it, so it’ meaningless. But taking that same concept, what people actually believe in their hearts about themselves is who they really are. And that does not always coincide with what they are “doing” at the time.

When I was on staff at a church in Houston it was several thousand members. That translates into always something going on in someone’s life. I had the opportunity to follow many people in their progression in life at a deep emotional level. I can tell you it was easy to see the difference in people who thought they could succeed in life and those that thought they couldn’t.

Everybody has life troubles and needs someone on this planet at some point to offer them grace to help them past that point. But it seemed that people who had no confidence or vision outside of their troubles or limitations would always repeat where they were in life and never really move on. Year after year, it was the same emotional melt down, the same trouble .. but with different people, and they always commanded the most of your time because they always thought themselves as victimized or would place the fault of where they were at in life on the actions of others and come running for consolation.

A hard lesson in life I had to learn was that you can’t make peoples lives work for them. I’ve always been a big hearted guy and when I would hear the reasons why these people were the way they were, I felt compelled to single handedly right the wrongs of other people’s actions in their life. Being so young and with no real mentorship (that’s another tale) in my ministerial vocation I burnt myself out on people and my big heart became a pretty isolated and critical one over those seven years as a pastor. Marine Corps here I come. :D

Anyway, the people I saw move past a horrid past, a bad life situation or just a low point in life were the ones that believed in their heart that they were meant for something more than suffering or abuse or failure. What people believed they were, they became. People who thought that they would always have bad relationships always did, people who thought that they couldn’t make it through school because their parents told them they were dumb would often fail, people who thought that some part of their fallen nature would always control the whole of who they were .. were frequent victims to it.

On the other side of the coin, people who believed in their hearts that they were more than their current failures, more than this single point in time and more than what the world was telling them they were, but believed in the intrinsic value God had placed within them as His most precious creation .. made in the very image of God, went on to be what their hearts told them they could be and have happy lives. Often the path to that goal was very different from the one they imagined, or just because they believed they “could” didn’t mean they got it on the first, second .. or even third try, but eventually they made it. (Or their dream matured and ended up finding a happiness in something that never crossed their minds as a youth ...)

… That is my ramble for this day .. sitting in Afghanistan with nothing better to do right now then think. Haha … Hope this helped someone out there, and if it didn’t well just chalk it up as Boomer’s endless need to rant.

I guess to sum this up there really are just two types of people in this world .. those that think they can .. and those that think they can’t.

Which are you? :wink:

TexasRN

06-19-2009, 11:50 AM

Boomer, I am so glad that I finally got to meet you face to face in Vegas to see firsthand what kind of person you are. You, my friend, are the very opposite of selfish. If someone needed something that weekend, anything, or you thought they possibly *might* need something, you took care of it. It was done/given with love and with no thought of receiving anything back in return. I told you then that if you ever need anything for yourself or any of your loved ones, just let me know and I'll take care of it. I meant that. Still do, and not just because of what you did for me.

My thoughts on the quote from Matt: My mom married my dad against her parent's wishes. She lived life from then on as the wife of Army enlisted. This was back during the Vietnam war. Life was not easy. She did what needed doing and there was never any thought of giving up or indulging in self pity when he was overseas fighting in such an unpopluar war. She had 3 kids, went to college, took care of the home. She gets things done. Even now with my dad's disease, she doesn't complain or whine, she sees what needs doing and does it, accomplishing what most people say is impossible in today's VA care. What most amazes me about her is that she does it with gentleness and kindness while having that backbone of steel that means she won't give up until she gets what she needs. She is my hero. Yes, my dad went to war and dealt with the atrocities along with it. But mom held it all together all of my life for all of us. She is the epitome of a "can do" person. If I can be just half as strong and determined as she is, I will be happy. She always told us that there isn't time to sit and whine, if you don't like your life, do something to change it or it is your own fault that you are miserable. You always have choices. Don't be a victim, be smart and move on when you have to. Oh, she also used to say something very funny to me: "Idiots do it all the time and if an idiot can do it, so can I." This can apply to anything, graduating college, changing a flat tire, putting a swingset together.....

Anyway, I am rambling before work. I'm not sure I'm even awake yet. But I wanted to chime in with my thoughts while I could.

Boomer, I love ya man. Stay safe and hydrate!!

~Amy

Llamafighter

06-19-2009, 12:33 PM

Boomer,
I second everything that Amy said in her first paragraph. You set an example of generosity and selflessness that I will continue to strive towards. I know this isn't the "Boomer's the man" thread but it is about "people who can" and Boomer you are definitely someone who will exhaust every resource at his disposal to help his friends, and I'm sure strangers have benefitted from your generosity as well. You talked a little bit in Vegas about what you want to do when you get done over there and I think the answer is pretty obvious: anything you want, brother!

My wife has always suffered from a bit of a "I can't" attitude. Recently she lost her job and suddenly it's as though now that she has the time to do anything she wants she is really blossoming. She's started writing children's books and going ot the gym, and talking aobut starting a family.

The other REALLY strange thing is that now that we are on 1 income in our household, we actually seem to be better off financially. I guess you can't spend what you don't have.

I kind of jumped around there but those are my thoughts:)

mikthehick

06-19-2009, 01:47 PM

Is it ok to 'third' this??

This is probably the most honest statement about life that I've read in awhile. It's just blunt and to the point, exactly how Hughes writes :laugh:

Thanks Boomer for sharing your thoughts as well. Sometimes it takes a really strong person for others to see that they can make their dreams come true as well. Just as long as people take that person's 'example' to better themselves and don't look at that person as an 'idol'.

I'm not going to sit here and list all the tough stuff in my life, because I do know that ALL of us have had it rough at one time or another, probably even a few times. But each and every time someone told me I couldn't do something, ie "you'll never get into UVA", "You're too small to ride that horse", "you're not tough enough for ____", it just makes me that much more determined to prove them wrong.

I've been labeled as "nuts" and "not with it" a few times. And to those people who say that, I just think that is their problem for not taking the time to get to know me as a friend. They are missing out. For what people don't see is the soul that I have and an intense love for Christ, whom I hold above all others. No one person will ever come close to the bond that I share with God. Here is some back up....

Deuteronomy 1:21
See, the LORD your God has given you the land. Go up and take possession of it as the LORD, the God of your fathers, told you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged."

Deuteronomy 20:4
For the LORD your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory."

Psalm 44:6-8
I do not trust in my bow, my sword does not bring me victory; but you give us victory over our enemies, you put our adversaries to shame. In God we make our boast all day long, and we will praise your name forever.

Isaiah 26:3
You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.

Matthew 11:28
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

Nowadays, sure life is tough, but everyday I still come to find some cool meaning or purpose. I tend to think of myself as an 'under construction' sign, because God still has plenty of work to do with me. I don't mind learning, in fact, I think that's what keeps me humble :cool:

Boomer

06-19-2009, 02:15 PM

Boomer, I am so glad that I finally got to meet you face to face in Vegas to see firsthand what kind of person you are. You, my friend, are the very opposite of selfish. If someone needed something that weekend, anything, or you thought they possibly *might* need something, you took care of it. It was done/given with love and with no thought of receiving anything back in return. I told you then that if you ever need anything for yourself or any of your loved ones, just let me know and I'll take care of it. I meant that. Still do, and not just because of what you did for me.

My thoughts on the quote from Matt: My mom married my dad against her parent's wishes. She lived life from then on as the wife of Army enlisted. This was back during the Vietnam war. Life was not easy. She did what needed doing and there was never any thought of giving up or indulging in self pity when he was overseas fighting in such an unpopluar war. She had 3 kids, went to college, took care of the home. She gets things done. Even now with my dad's disease, she doesn't complain or whine, she sees what needs doing and does it, accomplishing what most people say is impossible in today's VA care. What most amazes me about her is that she does it with gentleness and kindness while having that backbone of steel that means she won't give up until she gets what she needs. She is my hero. Yes, my dad went to war and dealt with the atrocities along with it. But mom held it all together all of my life for all of us. She is the epitome of a "can do" person. If I can be just half as strong and determined as she is, I will be happy. She always told us that there isn't time to sit and whine, if you don't like your life, do something to change it or it is your own fault that you are miserable. You always have choices. Don't be a victim, be smart and move on when you have to. Oh, she also used to say something very funny to me: "Idiots do it all the time and if an idiot can do it, so can I." This can apply to anything, graduating college, changing a flat tire, putting a swingset together.....

Anyway, I am rambling before work. I'm not sure I'm even awake yet. But I wanted to chime in with my thoughts while I could.

Boomer, I love ya man. Stay safe and hydrate!!

~Amy

Amy I’m really glad Igot to meet you too. Being in Iraq these past two years, Qatar the year before that and Afghan this year has fragmented my life stateside. Everytime I meet the face behind the humor, or the face behind the compassion, or the face behind the shoes of the people that keep me plugged into everything that goes on I’m not disappointed. And thank you for your kind words ….

Your mom is truly inspirational Amy. I really liked what you wrote : “What most amazes me about her is that she does it with gentleness and kindness while having that backbone of steel that means she won't give up until she gets what she needs.”

Those are amazing and rare characteristics to have all at once. Something I’m working on myself. :wink:

Boomer

06-19-2009, 02:17 PM

Boomer,
I second everything that Amy said in her first paragraph. You set an example of generosity and selflessness that I will continue to strive towards. I know this isn't the "Boomer's the man" thread but it is about "people who can" and Boomer you are definitely someone who will exhaust every resource at his disposal to help his friends, and I'm sure strangers have benefitted from your generosity as well. You talked a little bit in Vegas about what you want to do when you get done over there and I think the answer is pretty obvious: anything you want, brother!

My wife has always suffered from a bit of a "I can't" attitude. Recently she lost her job and suddenly it's as though now that she has the time to do anything she wants she is really blossoming. She's started writing children's books and going ot the gym, and talking aobut starting a family.

The other REALLY strange thing is that now that we are on 1 income in our household, we actually seem to be better off financially. I guess you can't spend what you don't have.

I kind of jumped around there but those are my thoughts:)

:laugh: Mark, I don't take complements well. I sucked it up with Amy ... but two in a row is a bit much for me. But thank you .. :laugh: I had a good time with everyone in vegas.

that s great about your wife brother. God really does take good care of us. :)

:laugh: Mark, I don't take complements well. I sucked it up with Amy ... but two in a row is a bit much for me. But thank you .. :laugh: I had a good time with everyone in vegas.

that s great about your wife brother. God really does take good care of us. :)

He does indeed...

Sorry buddy, but if you earn compliments, I'm going to give em.

Deal with it:wink:

NateR

06-19-2009, 05:06 PM

This kind of reminds me of one of Mark's saying, "There are three types of people in the world: those who can count and those who can't."

CAVEMAN

06-19-2009, 05:10 PM

Thanks for sharing Boomer! It has been my experience that when the trials and disappointments in life hit close to home, those trials become easier for me to deal with by focusing on others instead of myself and my problems. In a way, it helps you move on from those struggles. Great admonition, brother!

VCURamFan

06-19-2009, 06:05 PM

This kind of reminds me of one of Mark's saying, "There are three types of people in the world: those who can count and those who can't."There's only 10 types of people in the world: those who get binary & those who don't.

I was going to add something more thoughtful, but that amazingly generous and kind-hearted guy Boomer said no more compliments, so I'll leave him alone. :laugh:

Boomer

06-20-2009, 05:23 AM

This kind of reminds me of one of Mark's saying, "There are three types of people in the world: those who can count and those who can't."

:blink: I'm not as inspired by that one ... hummm maybe:

Psalm 94:8
Pay heed, you senseless among the people;And when will you understand, stupid ones?